Jannie and Lance are making folks chuckle and maybe eat donuts and drink beer?

Marelisa is getting in the spirit making a plan and giving us suggestions

and from my friend Barbara’s Christmas Letter , I wanted to share her thoughtful words:

I think Jesus would have liked Frankl! Change yourself and change your view of the world!! Perhaps even change the world! WOW! We know it; but it is still hard to fathom

As Americans, we assume some one is thinking and doing for the common good. After all, we live in a democracy and we elect our leaders to do just that. In religions, we become believers and rely on someone else to do the evaluating and decide our purpose, values and the way to goodness. The problem is, we have found, is that Patriotism can be a hideout for tyrants and blind religious belief can breed evil institutions. Politicians are allied to parties and money, and Bishops vow obedience to blinded Popes to secure their positions, and, those who follow Parties or Religions “vow obedience” to the tenants of these. Then, the result is, there is no need to think, decide, act, and be responsible. So easy and safe, except consolidation of power breeds evil and acts to protect itself, not the common good, not the poor, not women, not children, not the powerless.

Jesus and Frankl tell us the truth is within but it must also come out. It is not a wall or laws or institutions that decide a meaning for our life. We get to struggle to make us better; struggle with our conscience that Jiminy Cricket within that Jesus talked about.

So, this Christmas time, I guess my conclusion is, there is no safe home, and no one taking care of us, or looking out for what is right and good unless we are. And unless we collectively, are looking out for each other, no one is securing a better world or true freedom. The voices of Frankl, Jesus and Jiminy are heard within. But goodness is secured not just by listening to our own hearts, but also by evaluating our attitude and deciding on deeds that create love, oneness and a better place. And then doing it!

~Barbara Monda December 2009

I am still working on drumming up readers for the Harvest Potluck to get donations for UNICEF.

I have been offered $1000 donation, by a local group, if I can get 1000 eBook readers by Saturday December 5th by midnight PST.

Hope you will pop over (pun intended) and take a look – ebook is free!

17 Comments on “Tripping and Reading the Light Fantastic”

Hi Patricia .. what a wonderful idea .. I bet your reading list is going to be enhanced by some more wonderful posts as December marches on. I’m going to pop over and look at the blogs you mention .. thank you for the suggestions.

Barbara’s letter is so right – we need to act in our own way, be at peace with ourselves and others, do what is right, think happy thoughts, smile and say please and thank you .. we were created individual, that’s what we should be .. for the collective good.

Hi Patricia,
Thanks for the link love. You are so kind and giving! Your project shows just how wonderful and caring you are. Oh and chocolate covered Katie sounds delicious…I’m on my way over.

Oh almost forgot I love what your friend Barbara wrote…my inner Jiminy…I’ve never thought of it like that. Victor F. is one of my favorite examples of forgiveness. An incredible story about n incredible journey.
.-= Tess The Bold Life´s last blog ..7 Steps for Climbing the Staircase to Joy =-.

Doing our part to rack up more downloads and make sure that $1000 is in the bag for UNICEF.

This was a beautiful post, and Victor Frankl’s inspiring words are a great way to kick off the holiday season. Thank you for your magnificent effort as well.
.-= Betsy Wuebker´s last blog ..A Potluck Full of Do and Feel Good =-.

Your e-book is beautifully designed! Thank you. I had no idea from your descriptions that there were so many recipes in there. I agree with the sentiments of the other commenters — that was a great message to receive, and I want to check out all your links.
.-= Dot´s last blog ..Comment on Full Disclosure by Dot =-.

Hilary,
You are welcome for the link and I sure enjoyed reading your post and it raised my spirits. I am attempting to get Barbara to come over and reply to comments – I think she will – a very caring and intelligent friend, she writes so well and shares important ideas.

Lance,
Thank you and Jannie for the wonderful journey on your interview post – I love to laugh! and you have been sharing lots of laughter these days around the blogshere. I attempted to follow you great example with the Blog4cause Breast Cancer book….I think the beauty comes from all the “love food” bound inside. Your words are gracious and kind.

Mark,
Your writing is worth highlighting as it never fails to move me in a better direction.

Tess,
Katie is a delight and oh so chocolaty! You are welcome for the link…and I thought your post just said “it” so well….Thank you

Betsy,
Thank you and thank you for spreading the word….I hope I can make this goal for UNICEF….and wow I owe you and Pete a big thank you too….all the good food love you shared…I just love Pete’s Fat Santa Stamps, but can not figure out YET….I can learn…how to order them from Zazzle!

Dot,
Thank you for your kind words – they mean so much to me. I think you and Barbara would get along very well you are both so intelligent and smart and you write with such knowledge and keenness of purpose.

Talon,
You just bring so much beauty to my world and such lovely words. I was so moved by the berry picture with the frost or snow on it….the purity and simplicity came to mind all day long. Thank you.

JD
Thank you, thank you….
You always say the “right” things to me on your posts….now I need to learn about how to think like Bill Gates…I could certainly use some of that…

What a lovely blog you have here, and your efforts for UNICEF are tremendous. I’ll help spread the word.

In reading your friend’s Christmas letter, it made me think that there are many ways to view mankind: individually as Divine love, collectively as Divine love; individually as non-awakened Divinity; collectively as non-awakened Divinity.
(Boy – does that even make sense?)
I like to believe that the heart of man will win this seeming battle between light and dark; that light will prevail on earth and we’ll all know peace, joy and everlasting love at some point. But the examples we’re faced with aren’t always leaning in that direction.
It just makes me want to love even bigger, brighter and more boldly.

Hi Patricia.
Enjoyed Barbara’s letter. Thanks for sharing it. The line “consolidation of power breeds evil and acts to protect itself” really jumped out at me. Then I had a flash of insight that when people stop thinking for themselves, the “focus or act” they’ve surrendered to, has to survive of it’s own accord. People seem to lose heart and their natural instincts — ego takes over.
.-= Davina´s last blog ..Poem #2: Grandmother’s Spark =-.

Looking at these comments now, perplexed as to why I did not leave one, then remembered after I read this I went straight-away and put up the Harvest Potluck button on my site, then musta forgot to return.

Need to check to see if my Tweet posted too, ’cause it seemed my home computer froze up on me the very instant I pressed publish. So I’ll have to see on that. I saw Kim Woodbridge’s tweet on it, and of course she has, like, 3000 followers, so that hopefully made an impact.